Category Archives: Occupations

Every person has a right to experience nature, see the trees, feel the leaf-covered ground under their feet, and hear the calm ambiance of the forest. However, in the 12,000 year old Hambach Forest, the police are making it hard for nature-lovers young and old, to do so.
The whole area in and around the Hambach forest has been officially declared as a “danger-zone”, giving the forces of the state the right to ID-control and search every person entering the area, and some people have been forced to leave the area “prohibited to return” for up to several months. more…

Today the eviction of the occupation in the 12,000 Hambach forest continued.
In the northernmost occupation, fittingly named “The North”, police brutally destroyed the homes of the climate-justice activists, which had locked themselves on in order to delay the demolition of the treehouse occupation.
As the day passed, the police ended up “successfully” evicting all of “The North”, including the treehouses Fabacea and Kontiki, and leaving the pieces of the treehouses spread all across the forest floor.

Meanwhile, the police kept working on destroying the Oaktown occupation, bringing down the treehouse Tanit, and beginning the eviction of the common-space of the occupation, the 3-floored Tower.
Besides these, the groundstructure Simona, on which the police have already worked for two days, was taken apart, despite the underground tunnelsystem, in which two people were still locked on.
The tunnel was one of the bigger stories of the day, as the police, despite trying very hard, were still not able to evict the activists from their 10 meter deep chamber.

Throughout the day, the police actively kept national as well as international press at a distance, in order to make it harder for the journalists to give a proper picture of the brutal destruction, and give the activists a voice. Despite this, journalists were able to spread information on the process of the largest police-action in the history of NRW.

Already early in the morning, news about an apparent solidarity action at the Niederaußem coal-power-plant reached us. Here activists erected a tripod, with the banner saying “Hambi bleibt!” (Hambi stays!), and locked on to a conveyor-belt transporting lignite, as well as occupying 3 diggers. This successfully led to the power-plant being brought down to around 20% of its normal capacity.
In and around the occupation, solidarity was also clear to be seen.

Here the action-group Aktion Unterholz arrived with several hundred motivated people, some breaking police-lines and entering the forest, shouting political slogans in support of the occupation, which could be heard by people in the trees, enduring the siege of the police. The action of Aktion Unterholz made a statement against the absurd police-presence, with reference to the city of Chemnitz, where police weeks ago weren’t able to handle extreme-right protesters hunting down immigrants. “Where were you in Chemnitz?!”

Following the example of the last days of eviction, the violent repression directed towards the climate-justice activists was strong.
During the action of Aktion Unterholz, police-officers brutally beat and arrested people, harassed journalists, and even used pepper-spray against demonstrators.
It is estimated that around 30 people were brought to the pre-charge detention centre in Aachen, were supporters outside were awaiting their release, with music, coffee and cake.
Most people brought into the pre-charge detention centre are released within 24 hours.
However, in connection to the eviction of a tripod in the occupied Hambach forest on September 13th, one person was brought into custody jail, for an undefined amount of time. Read more about Andrea (“UP3”) on the blog of ABC Rhineland (https://abcrhineland.blackblogs.org/).
Responsible for the continued violence against activists, journalists and nature, is interior-minister of NRW Herbert Reul (CDU). Despite the wide environmental movement, and the German plans for coal phase-out, Herbert Reul continues to protect the interests of RWE and the coal-lobby with the weapons of the state!

The struggle here continues, and is stronger every day. Although the situation here is tough, we are looking forward to experience individual and collective action of support and solidarity in NRW, Germany, Europe, and all over the world!
Hambi stays, today and forever!

September 15 – Here again the current state, which was last passed from the forest:

Today the tree houses „Fabacea“ and „Kontiki“ as well as the Skypod (platform hanging free in ropes) in the barrio „Norden“ were evacuated. So there is no longer this barrio, but quite a lot of new anger. One of the expelled residents lodged a lawsuit against the destruction of their living space with our solidary lawyer Christian Mertens; Mertens is ready to support even more residents and others with such a lawsuit. (Specification of personal details required.)

In addition, a drivable passage was cleared between the barrios „Beechtown“ and „Cozytown“ north of the meadow. There were only footpaths so far.

Today (September 15), the barricades were cleared between the gravel pit of Collas and the central crossroads in the forest called „Jesus Point“. Firstly, this means further access to the forest and, secondly, it is particularly threatening for the barrio „Kleingartenverein“ (allotment garden) near the gravel pit.

Yesterday, the half done treehouse ‘Amagir’ had been evicted and got destroied in the barrio „Norden“.

Since yesterday there is a driveable track from the main path to the Barrios “Oaktown” and “Gallien”. They end at the tree house “Mona” (Oakt.) Or between “Tower” and “Paradise” (Gallien). Every aisle they hit through the forest means tree felling. It is enough! Gallien reports 40 felled trees. To cover that up, stumps and roots were torn out and the holes were filled with sand. However, evidently there was no eviction in Gallien.

Yesterday in Oaktown the tree houses Pyra, Mona and Stube were evicted. From the cabin Simona the roof was removed, the rest of the hut seems to stand still. There are still two people in the tunnel under the hut. The rest of Oaktown stands (i.e., Floki, Tower, Mouse-House, Nest), the Skypod “Raste” and the low tree house “Hundehütte” (also called Anna Campbell) near “Simona”, there is currently no information.

ON THE POSSIBILITY OF “SECURITY STRIPS”, AND AN ALLEGED MOLOTOV ATTACK

The police forces of NRW, it seems, are using every excuse they can, in order to legitimize their destructive escalation in the 12.000 year old Hambacher Forst.
Information has reached us, that the police is considering cutting of so-called “security strips” (clearing meter-wide strips of underwood) on both sides of the L276, a.k.a. the Secu-Road, despite the formerly announced cutting-stop lasting until October 14th.

The background for their decision to cut hundreds of square-meters is an alleged attack on RWE cutting equipment, with rocks and a “molotov-cocktail”, early morning September 10th.
The evidence on the alleged “molotov”-attack is however disputable.

A journalist which was present at the so-called “crime scene” shortly after explains:
“On the ground was some kind of liquid, but there were no glass-shards, no bottles, or any other containers to be seen. Usually when the police is taking pictures of a crime-scene, they don’t remove evidence, but here was nothing to be found.”

The extravagant reporting of the alleged attack, which led only to superficial damages on the RWE equipment, and no one wounded, serves only as a distraction in the debate, from who are the biggest perpetrators here: energy-giant RWE and the state of NRW, led by interior minister Herbert Reul (CDU).

In the row of violent attacks in and around the Hambach Forest occupation, it is clear which party ways the heaviest. Until now the police presence have led to several attacks on activists, supporters, as well as media workers, including the driver of a mobile kitchen being threatened with a gun, and a peaceful activist being brought to the hospital with a broken arm.
Responsible for this violence is the interior minister of the state of NRW, Herbert Reul (CDU), who uses the weapons of the state, to protect the interests of energy-giant RWE, and the coal lobby, while attacking the civil rights of free protest, free assembly and free movement.

Any and all attacks on RWE, and their state-sponsored protectors, is therefore also written in the context of self-defense, against RWEs destruction of nature, living-spaces, as well as the global climate, and against the brutal violence of the police, on civil protest and the whole climate justice movement.

Although not all parts of the movement for the preservation of the forest, and the immediate phase-out of coal agree to the militancy used by some autonomous activists, it is clear that the tactical diversity within the movement has strong value, and is not only legitimate, but necessary in the fight to protect the Hambach Forest.

Today, the state police of NRW continued the destructive preparation(destroying of soil structures and barricades) of the forest for the upcoming evictions. The police stormed the forest at 8 am in order to cut walking ropes and bridges between trees and to isolate tree houses this way.

In the subsequent attempt to destroy the stilt construction “Simona”, a hazel tree was felled by RWE workers in the middle of “Oaktown”.

In reaction to the felling of the first tree, the Action Alliance proclaimed “Day X”, the crossing of the so-called “red line”.

Shortly after the proclamation of Day X, which was spread all over Germany and even the world, police left the forest. Although the soil structures all were destroyed, the activists now had the opportunity to move freely again and rebuild structures.

The proclamation of Day X marked the beginning of a new phase in the struggle for the 12,000 year old Hambach Forest. Hundreds of activists will join this struggle tomorrow, not least through the support of “Aktion Unterholz”, which promised to launch a weekend of resistance to support the Hambach Forest in the form of mass actions of civil disobedience. They will break police lines and block RWE and police equipment.

Despite the high likelihood that the police will be present again tomorrow, there is a chance they will restrain themselves. In this case Aktion Unterholz will support the fight in other forms, by helping to rebuild barricades and soil structures.

At 3:00 pm, the various participating organizations of the Action Alliance held a press conference to communicate the situation to regional, national, as well as international media.

They criticize the violent action of the police forces, as well as the protection of the interests of the coal and capital giant RWE. They condemn the Interior Minister of NRW, Herbert Reul (CDU) for ordering these actions.

Furthermore Ende Gelände presented their new action plan for late October, which includes lock-ons this year, reflecting their response to the increasingly extreme situation in the struggle for the Hambach Forest.

While the 6 activists who were arrested on September 5 are back in freedom, the first trial day for the case “Kim Neuland” started in the Düren district court. The case concerns the arrest and 17-day detention of activist Maya (known as “Kim Neuland”) on 17 December 2016, in connection with the resistance against the cutting of the Hambach Forest. The trial will continue on September 14th.

The repression against the climate-justice activists is going on, who are fighting for the preservation of the forest, and against the capitalist extraction of dirty lignite. But as long as the felling of the forest is not stopped forever and the fossil-fueled capitalist exploitation of the planet continues, the resistance will continues as well!

The polices forces of NRW have currently begun the eviction of treehouses in the Hambach Forest occupation. They will now be violently removing activists and destroying the infrastructure of the occupation, in order to prepare for RWEs continued clearing of the 12.000 year old Hambach Forest.
In this way Herbert Reul (CDU), interior minister of the state of Northrhine-Westphalia, is actively attacking climate justice and democratic civil rights, in support of fossil-fuel giant RWE and the coal-lobby, clearly showing the corruption inherent in the capitalist system.

With the eviction of the first tree houses, the Hambach Forest occupation, alongside several action-alliances (including Ende Gelände, Aktion Unterholz, and Buirer Für Buir) are calling out: Day X is here, and a new phase of the struggle has begun.
In the next days, while RWE employees, with support from the hired soldiers of the German state, attempt to evict the occupation, hundreds of people will join the forest struggle, in order to protect the climate justice protest-camp, and there are many ways to take part. See the text “How do I become active?” for more information.

Leila, an activist from the occupied forest, says: “This is the time for action. RWE wants the protest silenced, the activists imprisoned, the forest cut, and the German state is spending millions of euros in order to support this wish. This capitalist corruption is NOT to be accepted, and we will continue struggling until the last tree is cut, and beyond!”

Since August 26th the Hambach Forest has been in the crosshair of a massive police action, and we have reason to believe that an eviction of the Hambach Forest occupation soon could be a reality.

While thousands right-extremists in Chemnitz are hunting refugees and migrants, the Hambach Forest will be subject to one of the largest police actions that the state of NRW has ever seen. The lines are being crossed, and the State and police are undermining civil rights and democracy, in the name of the capitalist system.

The Hambach Forest, a forest that has existed since the end of the last iceage and for the last 6 years has been occupied by activists, has by now become a symbol of resistance.
The protest points its finger at the people who put profit before sustainability and social justice.
We want to point out and dismantle the extraction of brown-coal (lignite), and its absurd destruction of landscapes, villages and the environment.

Day X: on the day where the first tree in the Hambach Forest falls, we, the action-alliances that fight for the preservation of the forest, will hold a press conference.

Leila, an activist from the occupation, says about the current situation:
“The state of NRW is right now directing its violence against the people protecting nature and fighting climate change. This is an attack on the whole movement for climate justice, and clearly shows the reactionary face of the capitalist state.”

It is still unclear how the police will act on Day X, but we will keep you informed when the time comes.

ONLY 80,000,000,000 EURO!!!!

State of NRW has notified the owner of the Meadow that it is to be sold to RWE Power AG through expropriation and imminent domain.

Purchase price offered is 12,500 Euro.

Asking purchase price: 80 billion Euro.

RWE’s purchase price offer was determined on the basis of the value that the meadow would have if used for agricultural purposes (= fictitious value).

The purchase price claim of the signatory (= K.C.) is measured according to the profits RWE generates from the ownership of the meadow (= real value) over the term of the opencast mine. These profits amount to a total of around 4 billion euros per year x term of the opencast mines of 20 years = 80 billion euros. These profits are generated at RWE Power AG.

links:

http://www.radioerft.de/erft/re/1501302/news/rhein-erft-kreis

most article behind a paywall of this local paper frequently engaging in anti-Hambi Green-Scare propaganda:
http://www.aachener-nachrichten.de/lokales/region/tagebau-hambach-eine-wiese-fuer-80-milliarden-euro-1.1896785?refid=256065975
responses

For the second day ZAD NDDL came under police attack this Tuesday. Beginning at 5am over 2000 of cops with at least two tanks started trying to breach the barricades on the West End of the Zad. Yet with the whole day of massive amounts of tear gas and flash bangs being used the day was mostly stellmate as cops stood in one place holding people back as the equipment cleared out 4 locations: No Name, Chèvrerie, Port and Tower that were already overrun by the cops on Monday as they finished destroying the structures and taking out the remnants of structures destroyed Monday. more…

Lots of warm solidarity and support from Pont Valley Protection Camp to all defending Hambacher Forest and full spectrum of their supporters following evictions of barricades this time by the police and imprisonment of now 2 additional Climate Justice Political Prisoners together with UP2(kept for past 2 month in isolation with “evidence” being kept from the defense) making now the #freeHambi3. The disaster martial law capitalism steps up its bullshit this time instead of after communists and labour activists going for environmental, climate and direct action activists first as Rheine Energy CEO/Police Chief, Herbert Reul and his fossil fools disaster capilast New Frei Corps of North Rhine Westphalia Interior ministry police sweeps up the opposition. As climate disaster deepens, ecosystems collapse accelerates, nuclear proliferation and militarization is an accepted by the masses fucked up reality while militant resistance is delegitimized, criminalized and appropriated for media green-scare campaigns. Firecrackers and pocket knives become dangerous weapons as politically cynical capitalist conspiracy of repression continues its campaign of divide and conquer by pushing community and civil initiatives to be further and further apart from radical part of the movement. Through fear and reformists empty promises of change forcing some to engage in follow ups of repressions with external retraumatizing critiques. more…